The Basics of How to Wash Yeast (Grains to Glass S2C5 2018)

In This Episode of Grains to Glass, we look at the basics of how to wash yeast. We talk about how to wash yeast from a slurry, and how to reuse the washed yeast. Yeast washing is an easy way to save a little money and also reuse the yeast that is still viable. Yeast Washing happens after primary fermentation when the trub and yeast flocculate to the bottom of the beer.

Yeast Washing Steps

1. Boil one gallon of water for 15 minutes.
During the boil, sanitize the glass jars and funnel.

2. Let the water cool for a couple minutes on the stove, and then pour into the large glass jar.

3. Place the large jar in the refrigerator to cool.

4. Siphon the beer off the yeast from the primary to a secondary fermenter. Place the airlock back on the empty fermenter while it waits.

5. Take the large jar of water out of the refrigerator and let it come up to room temperature.

6. Pour the large jar of water into the fermenter, place the airlock back on, and shake it.

7. Let the fermenter sit for 20 minutes so the trub can separate from the yeast and fall to the bottom. The yeast will be a milky white color, while the trub will be a darker brown.

8. Pour the top layer (yeast and some beer) back into the large jar, trying to leave the bottom layer of trub behind.
Cap the large jar and shake. Let it sit for 20 minutes.

9. Similar to the pour from the fermenter, carefully pour the liquid from the large jar into the four-pint size mason jars, trying to leave behind the dark matter on the bottom.

10. Cap the mason jars and place them in the refrigerator. The yeast will settle to the bottom over the next few days.

[BeerByTheNumbers]

Glad to see you're keeping those yeast happy. Cheers!

[bradleypariah]

I've been using the same colony of 34/70 (a dry yeast) since February. I've made five batches from it in the last four months. I have washed both liquid and dry yeast. If you're concerned about yeast nutrient being present in the original packet, just add yeast nutrient to your next batch of wort. Also, you said the layers out of order. The dark layer will be on the bottom, because the dead stuff and trub fall out first. Once the yeast go dormant, they lay on top of the trub, and THAT's the white layer. The beer/water will be on top of that. So, the yeast is the middle layer, not the bottom.

[fdk]

Of course yeast manufacturers don't want you to reuse the yeast, they want to sell more yeast!

[twodogswalking]

Retailers and yeast manufacturers would strongly suggest you not reuse dry yeast as it can adversely affect their bottom line.

[species]

This guy must work for a yeast company. He's telling everyone to save the trub and discard the yeast.

[stevenmqcueen]

The yeast you use to brew beer, whether dry or liquid, reproduces numerous times during fermentation. That's why there is so much more yeast at the end of the brewing process than you started with. At this point, the yeast is so many generations removed from its parent cells that it is immaterial whether those cells were dry or in liquid when pitched.

In other words, there is absolutely no reason one cannot or should not wash and reuse dry yeast.

[JustMeRobbo]

Cockroach running across the hotplate lol 7:59, prob should edit that out

[cosmonaut]

You mean a company that sells yeast recommends buying new yeast everytime ?

[josephtrahan]

I’ve repitched the same US05 three times and SA04 twice. Better beer each time.

[mefairo]

since 2 years, I reuse my washed US05 dry yeast and its more than 20th gen now.. so...why not...

[SourDiesel]

I’ve heard other people have ruined batches more often than not when reusing yeast. The first time I used reused yeast I got mold. Although I also added coconut and chocolate and let it sit for two weeks.

[craigd]

I've had great success reusing dry yeast. Although I usually only do it once.

[estock]

I just washed some S-04 and plan to reuse it frequently, yeast is yeast wether it’s dry or liquid, there is nothing wrong with reusing dry yeast. Look up lallemand’s YouTube channel they tell you that you absolutely can!

[jonte]

At 11:24, yeast at bottom? Isnt the trub suppose to be there?

[waynehill]

I have been brewing kits for a couple of years and now want to get into all grain. I like the idea of washing yeast for re-using. What I dont understand is, how do you establish the number of cells in a washed yeast. I am guessing you would need to use a microscope. But how would you establish the yeast cell count? hope you consider this as the subject for a follow up video. Thanks for educating a novice.

[WinSchutten]

How many cells do you reckon there are in a ml of the harvested and washed slurry? Some homebrew forum threads were estimating about 2.5 billion cells per ml. Does that sounds about right?

[jaxs]

Hello sir. I have a question. Imagine I make a 5 gallons beer with a pack yeast ( like safeale US 05 dry yeast, 10.5g)
At the end of process I do all things that you advise and collect the rest of reminded yeast . Now is this harvest enough for next 5 gallons batch? (Sorry. I'm not good in English)🙏🍻

[travisprice]

Awesome now I know how to re-use my troob to make really strong beer. I washed my yeast using your method. Glad to know I poured my WLP099 down the drain. Super helpful.

[b.e.d.brewing]

I have had great success as long as I am a little mindful about sanitizing and I keep the yeast fermenting at least twice a year.

[mguidone]

When are you going to pitch the washed yeast in a video?